Tina Regan, 68, has been touched by cancer personally and has seen the devastating impact it has had on her immediate family. That is why she has pledged to leave a gift in her Will to fund our vital research.
About 30 years ago I was diagnosed with cervical cancer, which I was treated for. The surgeon at the time described it as a very near miss, but fortunately I was given the all-clear. It was still a scary time, especially for my friends and family, who were very worried.
Previously, my sister had ovarian cancer, and now very sadly my niece is currently battling breast cancer. Over the years I have been touched by cancer, and it has affected my life so much. That’s why I decided to leave a legacy in my Will to the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR).
I came upon the ICR through the Will for Free service. I don’t have children so when it came to writing my Will, I wanted to leave behind something that could benefit other people when I am no longer here. I knew I could make an impact by leaving a donation that would fund cancer research.
Everybody will be touched by cancer.
Cancer research is more important now than it’s ever been before. The statistics have changed so drastically, even in my lifetime, from one in four people being potentially affected to one in two. That makes me feel that cancer is winning. We can’t let that happen. Everybody is going to be touched by cancer, either personally or by a member of their family or close friends.
Research is vital. In fact, vital isn’t even a strong enough word. Anything that can be done to try to prevent this horrible disease or find kinder ways of treating it is so important.
We need kinder ways to treat cancer.
New drugs and treatments don’t come out of thin air – we need research and continued developments to make that happen, especially here in the UK, where our statistics seem poor compared to other countries. Without the work that has gone on in the labs, the drug that is currently helping my niece would not exist. It’s not just about curing cancer, it’s about finding kinder ways to do it too.
The ICR is so pivotal in the work it is doing to find better forms of treatments. I think it’s a really worthy cause.
It’s not just money that you’re leaving, it’s the hope that things will get better. And that it will provide hope for other people in future. Leaving a gift in your Will is to leave a legacy of hope.
Find out more about leaving a gift in your Will to the ICR and order your free copy of our legacy guide.
